While the arrival of the Internet has led to substantial improvements in the ability to communicate information around the globe, it has also given rise to a variety of security challenges in the transmission of information. For example, the transmission of data between two parties may be inappropriately intercepted or manipulated by a third-party. Hardware located at the sending party and/or the receiving party may be corrupted or hacked so that data is manipulated, stolen, or otherwise corrupted. Worse, the party that was attacked may not even be aware of the event.
The nature of the information that is intercepted can make the potential damage by such malfeasance particularly acute. The data could relate to a company's highly valuable, proprietary information. By way of further example, the data could be highly classified, secret information collected or maintained by a governmental entity. Even if a party in possession of such sensitive information does not transmit such over the Internet, the information could still be vulnerable to inappropriate access by third parties if it is stored on a device that is otherwise connected to the Internet.
The information could be real-time measurements or process data that is collected during a production or manufacturing operation. As such, the information may not only be proprietary, but the ability to transmit and store the data accurately and securely may be of paramount importance to the owner or operator of the process in terms of, for instance, safety, quality control, monitoring, etc. By way of example, it may be desirable to collect information regarding a process conducted at a company's manufacturing plant and securely transmit the same to the company's headquarters physically located some distance away from the manufacturing plant.
In the example of state or government activities, the ability to accurately monitor a process and securely store and/or transmit that information over the Internet to one or more recipients may not only be desirable but necessary. For example, a state and/or international agency may be tasked with monitoring a process related to the manufacture and/or storage of nuclear fuels or materials. In such case, the ability to securely store and simultaneously transmit such process information to multiple parties who may be in, for example, an oversight role could impact national and international security and diplomacy concerns.
Accordingly, a system for the secure storage and transmission of data over a network, such as the Internet, would be beneficial. Such a system that can be used to transmit data simultaneously to multiple recipients in a segregated fashion and to allow each to authenticate and validate the data received would be particularly useful. A system that would also preclude the recipients or third parties from inappropriately intercepting or manipulating the information transmitted to other bona fide recipients would be very useful.